[tabi] Re: FW: Your opinions needed from StarMetro

From: "Waterman, Brian" <Brian.Waterman@xxxxxxxxxx>

To: "tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2013 14:20:07 +0000

Since I am on a tight schedule to release an IFB for the braille plates, I am
only taking public comments through this Friday, March 8th. My goal is to have
my call for quotes out to vendors by March 14th. While I am interested to visit
with the Tallahassee Council for the Blind, that meeting would be too late to
receive comments on braille plates.
From: tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
blindwilly
Sent: Friday, March 01, 2013 2:46 PM
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [tabi] Re: FW: Your opinions needed from StarMetro
Brian,
Our Tallahassee Council of the Blind is going to be meeting: Thursday March
14, 2013 at 6:00 pm at the Light house for the blind. Perhaps you could take
time to just stop by for a moment and share.
William Benjamin
----- Original Message -----
From: Waterman, Brian<mailto:Brian.Waterman@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, March 01, 2013 11:15 AM
Subject: [tabi] FW: Your opinions needed from StarMetro
From: Waterman, Brian
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2013 12:54 PM
To: 'Sila Miller'; tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: Erica; Julia Kamm-Cohen; Amanda Kan; Angel Scruggs Fazio; Barbara Ross;
Elizabeth S. Bowden; Eva McElvy; Jeanine Kane; Jennifer Crowder; Michael
Worley; Sharon - home; Simone Cunningham; Tinetta Cooper; Toni King; Wayne
Warner
Subject: RE: [tabi] Your opinions needed from StarMetro
Sila's request on the texting for real time next bus information prompts a
discussion on durability vs. availability. It is our plan to add real time next
bus information with the texting code later this year, probably by summer. The
stop code on the braille plates would provide this information if texted to
2722. My budget, however, for the braille plates is $20,000. A highly durable
metal braille plate costs approximately $35/pole. After factoring in
replacement costs, I can add braille plates to 250 to 300 poles (up to 30% of
our stops). If we go with a lower quality acrylic plate ($10 or less per pole),
I could probably cover every stop. These plates, which I have a sample, do have
durability issues.
I would like to continue this discussion for another week. Based on the
consensus of the responses, I will draft specifications for the braille plates.
Thank you for all your input.
From: Sila Miller
[mailto:silam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]<mailto:[mailto:silam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]>
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2013 2:10 PM
To: Waterman, Brian; tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: Erica; Julia Kamm-Cohen; Amanda Kan; Angel Scruggs Fazio; Barbara Ross;
Elizabeth S. Bowden; Eva McElvy; Jeanine Kane; Jennifer Crowder; Michael
Worley; Sharon - home; Simone Cunningham; Tinetta Cooper; Toni King; Wayne
Warner
Subject: Re: [tabi] Your opinions needed from StarMetro
Dear Mr. Waterman,
Thanks for consulting us on these issues and listening to our input. I applaud
the City and StarMetro for installing audible pedestrian signals (APS) at 10
out of the 15 stops previously identified!
I believe the APS at Adams St. and Tennessee St. should still be considered a
high priority as the Greyhound station is directly across the street from the
plaza and is frequented by folks with disabilities.
Seventh Ave. and Monroe St. (near the Senior Center) should also continue to be
seen as a priority as well for the above stated reason(s).
As far as the braille signage, I'd like to ask where we are with the texting
ability (code) to know where the bus is prior to commenting on the placement of
the signs. Most of us who already use the bus probably know where the poles we
frequent are (some hard lessons learned by missing buses) are but if the
texting ability is available then that puts a whole new spin on things.
Again, thanks much for soliciting our comments and opinions!
Sila Miller
----- Original Message -----
From: Evelyn Worley<mailto:eworley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: Wayne Warner<mailto:wwarner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Toni
King<mailto:tking@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Tinetta
Cooper<mailto:tcooper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Simone
Cunningham<mailto:scunningham@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Sharon -
home<mailto:share0513@xxxxxxx> ; Michael
Worley<mailto:mworley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Jennifer
Crowder<mailto:jcrowder@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Jeanine
Kane<mailto:jkane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Eva
McElvy<mailto:emcelvy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Elizabeth S.
Bowden<mailto:ebowden@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Barbara
Ross<mailto:bross@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Angel Scruggs
Fazio<mailto:ascruggs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Amanda
Kan<mailto:akan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Julia
Kamm-Cohen<mailto:jkammcohen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Waterman,
Brian<mailto:Brian.Waterman@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2013 3:01 PM
Subject: [tabi] Your opinions needed from StarMetro
Hi everyone. Brian Waterman with StarMetro asked if I could help out with
getting opinions and/or a consensus from the blind community about the
following items by this Friday, 3/1. In addition to posting on TABI, feel free
to send your comments directly to Brian at
Brian.Waterman@xxxxxxxxxx<mailto:Brian.Waterman@xxxxxxxxxx> .
1. FTA funding has now been approved to proceed with installing the braille
signage at bus stops! It is logical to begin installing them in the areas where
the bus routes intersect. What other areas and stops do you see as a priority,
and why?
2. So far, the City and StarMetro have installed audible signals/APS at 10
out of the 15 intersections that were identified as being "high priority." The
rest are still in the works. A change to the priority list (see attached list)
has been requested. When the list was originally created, it was determined
that an audible signal/APS at Adams St. and Tennessee St. was of high priority.
Since then, several of the buses have been re-routed to go into the transfer
plaza, decreasing the necessity for riders to walk in the vicinity to make
their transfers. It is being recommended that the Adams and Tennessee
intersection be dropped to a lower priority. Instead, it is being recommended
that the city proceed with installation of audible signals/APS at the two
following intersections (already listed as a high priority): a) Mahan Dr. and
Magnolia Dr. and b) Seventh Ave. and Monroe St. (near the Senior Center).
Please weigh in on each of these topics. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Evelyn Worley, COMS, CVRT
Assistant Director
Lighthouse of the Big Bend
(850) 942-3658 x203
Fax (850) 942-4518
Lighthouse of the Big Bend "Guiding People Through Vision Loss"
3071 Highland Oaks Terrace, Tallahassee, FL 32301